
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, September 10, 1993                   TAG: 9309100103
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MAG POFF STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

THE BLUES GATHERING IN ITS EMPLOYEES

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Virginia said Thursday it has leased office space in two downtown Roanoke buildings in a move affecting some of its area operations.

The health insurance company also said it has exceeded its projections for Roanoke employment.

The moves into the Dominion Bank and Franklin Plaza buildings are expected to extend over several weeks into October. It will consolidate the company's area employees in four buildings, all in downtown Roanoke.

Tom Kazas, spokesman for the Richmond-based company, said student marketing and several other marketing functions will occupy 1 1/2 floors of the Dominion Bank Building on South Jefferson Street.

That shift involves 41 people who have been working in the Travelers Building on Virginia 419 in Roanoke County. Kazas said the lease there will expire shortly and the marketing functions need more space.

Another 21 people who are involved in training will move out of the headquarters building at Jefferson Street and Franklin Road. They will occupy a floor of the Franklin Plaza Building that faces Franklin and Williamson roads, behind the Blues headquarters building.

When the moves are complete, Blue Cross and Blue Shield employees will work within a few blocks at the company's headquarters, the two new spaces and the Signet Bank Building on Church Avenue.

Kazas said Blue Cross and Blue Shield had 914 employees in Roanoke as of Aug. 31. Its earlier prediction was that it would employ 836 people by the end of this year.

The latest projection is a total employment of 969 people by the end of 1994, Kazas said.

by CNB